Where did June go?

I am really curious as to where the month of June has gone. It seems like I have just arrived here and in a short week, my two month mark will pass. I've already experienced enough that I can honestly say that I have changed because of it. I have learned about life and who I am. Here is a short list of things that I have learned about life:

1. No matter where you are in the world, God is there.
2. No matter how much you try to avoid it, the devil will always be there to tempt you.
3. God is the only thing that is certain, nothing else matters.
4. I will never again take my family and friends for granted because they care about me and stand behind me in all decisions that I make.
5. I have possibly the best family in the entire world.
6. I am never alone, even though loneliness may be affecting me. I can always rely on God to answer when I call.
7. Nothing can make me happier than hearing the voice of God through the laughter of a small child.
8. It's amazing that stepping out of my comfort zone can cause me to take a look at my life and see what I need to work on... and that is one big process.
9. The only reason that I am here is because God put me here and opened all the doors... Without that, I have nothing.
10. I now know what it is like to be completely humbled and bare in the presence of God and give everything to him.

At the orphanage that I have been going to every week, there is a little girl that has only been there for a couple weeks. She is the only little girl surrounded by energetic little boys. I made it my goal to get her to open up, even if it is just for her to smile once in my general direction. I can only imagine what this young girl has gone through in her short life and I just want her to know that she is loved. The day began with all of us playing with the boys while the little girl watched quietly in the corner, playing with a balloon. I slowly made my way closer to her, trying to be as sneaky as possible so she wouldn't realize. We eventually started playing with a stuffed snoopy doll. It began with me sitting snoopy on the floor and her kicking it away. She began laughing hysterically, which of course warmed my heart. At this time, she stood up, looked at me and proceeded to sit in my lap. She then turned around, looked at me, and kissed me on the cheek. I have never experienced seeing the love of God through a small child, but I now know what it is to see that. I am truly blessed to be here.

I recently found out some bad news... My uncle Ronnie is in the hospital with cancer and they have given him about 3 days to live. My family lost my grandpa in May and are still healing from that, and I don't know what kind of affect this will have on them all. If you are reading this, please just pray for a miracle or just for my family to be able to come together and get through this as a family. I know that life happens, but sometimes I still have to ask why things happen. I know that good comes from every situation, but it is hard to see right now.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow--not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love.  Romans 8:38

Same place, Another day....

Forecast for South Korea: RAIN, Rain and more Rain... did I mention it was supposed to rain... I'm going to do my best to box it up and send it back to the great plains of Texas :)

Well, other than that, life is going pretty great. I have finally decided where I will be spending my vacation. To begin, I will be going to the fabulous country of North Korea... well kind of. I am going to the DMZ and in a certain meeting room, I can actually go to the North Korea side of the room. We have to follow certain dress codes and what not, too... It should be interesting. Well after we come home from that, I will be headed to Busan, South Korea for a couple days of fun in the sun at the beach. After that, I will board a Ferry and head to Japan, where I will be spending a couple days. I am sooo excited! Vacation cannot possibly get here quick enough.

 This is a cup of coffee that one of my friends ordered, and I thought it was the coolest thing... that takes talent right there...

 My amazing Caramel Latte :)

 7-Eleven... yeah they have them here too... definitely not the same though... trust me...

 Boys playing soccer on the side walk.

 The bank that I use... and another part of the KNU campus..

 My place of employment.

 The subway station

 E-mart, which is basically the Korean Wal-mart... It is 3 floors high though.. They totally out did Wal-mart...

I recently came across a friend that I know from SNU that grew up here in South Korea. I am so excited because she has told me that she will show me all the things in Korea that I probably wouldn't see if I was just doing the tourist things... It should be a good time!

Life goes on...

I started volunteering at an orphanage on Wednesday morning. All I have to do is play with some toddlers for an hour and a half. Sounds great to me! The kid's laughter reminds me of what it is to be truly happy. We get so caught up in the world that we forget true happiness and what it feels like. I could only dream of having the happiness of a small child. These children have no parents, but they don't quite understand the concept yet. I envy these children in many ways. As I keep adding to my schedule, I can't hep but thank God for all the many opportunities that I have been granted. I have yet to really branch out and see very much of this beautiful place, but I have already been blessed more than I ever could have imagined.

I don't think I have mentioned a lot about where I work quite yet. I don't actually work in a public school, but more of an after school-school. the students attend their school and then come to us to learn English. I work from 2:00-7:00 most days and a little later on the other evenings. I teach from about 10 different books to all age levels from elementary to middle school. Every class I teach is so very different. I really have not had very many problems with my students. That may be because I don't understand a lot of what they are saying. They could be cursing me constantly and I just don't know it!! lol! Other than that I absolutely love the culture here. I can't wait to get even more immersed in the culture...

Stars are holding you tonight..

Monday will mark 6 weeks of being here. First i just want to acknowledge the fact that my heart and mind can't help but remember what happened 2 years ago on this day. I lost a best friend who blessed my life so very much. Logan, I miss you buddy! Things really have not been the same! My life is definitely different because you were in it, even if it was just a short time. I love ya! <3

                       

Tonight- Fm Static

I remember the times we spent together
All those drives, we had a million questions
All about our lives
And when we got to New York everything felt right
I wish you were here with me,
Tonight

I remember the days we spent together,
were not enough, it used to feel like dreaming
Except we always woke up,
Never thought not having you here now
Would hurt so much

Tonight I've fallen and I can't get up
I need your loving hands to come and pick me up
And every night I miss you
I can just look up
And know the stars are
Holding you, holding you, holding you
Tonight

I remember the time you told me
About when you were eight
And all those things you said that night
That just couldn't wait
I remember the car you were last seen in
And the games we would play
All the times we spilled our coffees
And stayed out way too late

I remember the time you sat and told me
About your Jesus, and how not to look back
Even if no one believes us
When it hurts so bad, sometimes
Not having you here

I sing
Tonight I've fallen and I can't get up
I need your loving hands to come and pick me up
And every night I miss you
I can just look up
And know the stars are
Holding you, holding you, holding you
Tonight

I sing
Tonight I've fallen and I can't get up
I need your loving hands to come and pick me up
And every night I miss you
I can just look up
And know the stars are
Holding you, holding you, holding you
Tonight

New things...

I now feel like I actually live here.. It has only taken me a little over a month for it to really sink in. I did get the opportunity to go the beach again this past weekend with a different group. It was actually warm this time, so I actually felt like I went to the beach... I actually have some color in my skin now... haha! It was a very interesting experience. There we were in our swimsuits, and getting funny looks from the natives, who were all in shorts and t-shirts. I'm sure they were just thinking,"Those dumb foreigners..." I have a feeling they probably think that a lot about us...

 I'm hoping to get to come back for the mud festival that occurs in July. It is basically a big mud fight... but the mud is supposed to be really good for your skin... I'm really excited about it!!!  

So, on a different note, I have been trying to fill my time with things to do. I don't have anything to do in the mornings and I am ready to start filling my time with things. So far, I am going to start going to a gym with one of my co-workers. I am also going to start attending a bible study on Thursday mornings and hopefully begin leading it in the near future. I have never been given the opportunity to lead a bible study, but I know that it is going to be very rewarding... I'm actually pretty nervous about the whole thing. I know that God is giving me all of these opportunities to make my time here absolutely worth while. I still have over 10 months of time to see this amazing country and do the things that God has in store for my life.

There are more things I would like to add to my list of things that I have learned in Korea:

1. I have a feeling that I am going to be kind of rude when I come back to the states. When I am here, I don't say excuse me or say sorry when I run into someone... It is just not something that you do here. So I am apologizing in advance if I run into you when I get back, and I don't say sorry...

2. If you are running late to something, don't worry, there will always be someone that is going to be more late than you are... AND nothing ever starts on time.

3. Oklahoma people are much better drivers that Koreans... and that takes a lot for me to say since I think that Oklahomans are crazy drivers.

4. It feels really good to be a millionaire, even if it is in the currency of won.

5. Indian food could possibly be the greatest thing I have ever eaten.

6. I will never get irritated at someone for not knowing English in the states ever again. When you become the person that is the minority, it opens your eyes and makes you more humble.


I am sure that this list will continue to grow as I live here longer, but as for now, that is all I can add.

" I don't want to get to the end of my life and find that I just lived the length of it.. I want to have lived the width of it as well." - Diane Ackerman

My morning run...

Well now that I have been here long enough to get into a routine, I decided that it is time to start working out again... I've become kind of lazy since I arrived and that definitely needs to stop. On that note, I was told about a park that I could go and run at so I went this morning. There I was with my Ipod in, listening to some motivating music, when I noticed a class of preschool age kids sitting at a table. I couldn't help but smile at them when I ran by. Not thinking anything of it, I kept running. As I lapped back around to that table, one little boy was now standing by the table looking at me and smiling. It made me smile once again and I kept running. As I lapped around for a 3rd time, the little boy was now standing at the sidewalk, waiting for me to pass. He looked at me and smiled the biggest smile that he could and I giggled and waved at him as I passed. Another lap around and I saw that the boy was not alone this time, but that three other students had joined him. He was the only one that waved at me, but the others smiled and watched as our pattern continued. I passed them about 3 more times and they all waved. By my last lap of running, the majority of the class was now standing by the sidewalk playing games, and when i would run by, they would stop, smile and wave. When my run was finished, I couldn't help but want to go on one more lap for a cool down, just to see what would happen. Well as I passed them, they waved once again, but this time, the little boy that had started the entire thing, gave my a flower as I passed. It was the sweetest thing ever! Really made my day! Oh... and I think I will go running there everyday just to see what new things I encounter...

My awesome nephew! 

On another happy note, I got some very exciting news from home this morning. My nephew, Phoenix, who will be 5 next month, asked Jesus into his heart today!!! All I can say is that I am one very happy Aunt Leslie =)

A Day Trip...

Us sitting on the floor in the food car... 

Yesterday, I got to go see more of this amazing country. We went to the Daecheon Beach. When we were getting ready to leave, we all put on our shorts and swimsuits... of course because we were going to the beach where it is supposed to be 80 degrees... Well, we get to the train, and the tickets that we got were stand on tickets, meaning that there were no more seats open, so we got to stand. 


We not only were standing, but we picked to stand by the bathrooms... Good times.. :) After about 3/4 of our trip, we decided to see if there was somewhere else to sit, and we ended up eating in the food car, sitting on the floor; which was an upgrade from the bathroom area.

Finally after an hour and a half on a train, we find ourselves getting off the train, not into warm weather like we thought, but into a brisk, cold wind that sent all of us regretting our choice to wear shorts... So our first goal was not to find the beach, but to find ourselves some pants. When we found the pants that we purchased, they reminded me of something that MC hammer would have worn in the 80's, and after we bought them, we found real pants: Just Our Luck...

After all of this, we found our way down to the beach... Beautiful beach...

Gloria and I in the Yellow Sea. 

We stood around and took many pictures of the beach and the Yellow Sea, which is the body of water between South Korea and China.

We found ourselves some clams and other small animals, like a little thing that looked like a shrimp... I will add a picture at the end of my blog.

After taking some pictures, we decided to venture down the beach to see what else we could find... We found that walking on this particular beach was surprisingly difficult... every time I would take a step, my foot would sink about 3 inches into the sand..

 As we walked down the beach, we came across a bunch of rocks that were covered in shells and home to many little crabs. It was an awesome thing to come across. We found out later that why these rocks looked like they did, is because about an hour after we walked away from the beach, the tide came in and the water came about 100 feet closer to the sidewalk. This also explains the reason it was so difficult to walk on the beach. 

It was so beautiful at this beach... Even though it was very cold and the water was freezing, I am so glad that I got the opportunity to go. I will definitely be going back... We didn't even make it to the mud beach, which is supposed to have mud that is really good for your skin. I can't wait until I get to travel more to new places.

The little friend that we found... 

I even got to eat some really good food... The food here is amazing, of course. 

I have recently gotten my cell phone, too, so I feel like I am part of society again :)

Heidi and I climbing the rocks

June 1

Well, I am an official, registered alien in South Korea... I have the card and everything to prove it now. This means that I can get my cell phone and bank account now, which is going to be super nice. I know it's hard to believe, but I have friends here =)... haha. I went to a bible study last night and met up with a couple of people that I went to college with. It was so nice to see familiar faces. I also met about 8 other American teachers. We are reading through the book of Mark. The main question that was asked was, "What stands out to you in this passage?" The only thing that I could think of was that it all stood out because, sadly, it has been too long since I have actually read the bible and thought about what it is that God is telling me. I've been so caught up in coming to this foreign place that I sometimes forget the reason that I am here in the first place. God. I had nothing to do with it... well I had a little bit to do with it, but God even told me how to do the little that I did do. God is pretty amazing and I take him for granted much too often. I'm lucky that he is a forgiving and understanding kind of soul, or I would be out of luck completely.

The biggest struggle that I have had since I have been here is not getting to be there for all of the stuff happening at home; both good and bad. I hear all the tragedies that have occurred near to my home, and here I am over here not being able to help at all. It's times like these when I can only rely on one person to get me through. God. He seems to be the answer to a lot of my questions now a days... haha... That is how it is supposed to be I suppose.

I am more than likely headed to the beach this weekend with a group of people. I cannot wait!! I've been in Cheonan City ever since my 2nd day here, and I am ready to see more of this country. Three weeks have already flown by, and I now that the rest is going to be gone soon. I don't want to take this opportunity for granted.

Well, I haven't done this in my blog yet, but I want to say thank you to all of those who have been praying for me. You are the reason I know that this has been a pretty easy adjustment. Without you, I honestly don't know what i would do... So thanks!

<3